Work Bench
 

I am about to order a kit and want to build a work bench before the kit arrives. Can anyone tell me what size is optimal? Is there a set of plans for a nice bench?

You can answer here or send info to me at gerald.oliver@yahoo.com.

Thanks.

Here's a goody...

EAA Chapter 1000 work table

I've got two of these workbenches and they work great. My only suggestion is to build a 2" overhang around the workbench to allow you to easily clamp things down.

And dont precut all your wood ahead of time acording to the plans. There are errors in the dimentions. IIRC, the size of the lower shelf is incorrect.

Overhang
 

I didn't put an overhang on the end and made them so they could be bolted together. Makes for either two short WB's or one long one for wings and such. The EAA size is really all you need. YMMV

Bob Kelly

I have one of the EAA tables and I also built a 4x8 table. The big table is the one I use for almost everything. Some would think it is to big but I am tall and have plenty of shop space so it works well for me. I have my DRDT-2 mounted on the EAA table and it works good for that.

My recommendation though is if you have plenty of shop space build a large table. It has worked great!

2 for 1
 

Funny story about our awesome EAA work benches.My partner and I did our materials list and went to the HomeDepot and made the purchace.We got back to the airplane factory and cut it all down to specs then proceeded to assemble.About an hour and a half later a very fine work bench was materializing but it seemed odd that there was still so much lumber left and that we were allmost done with the bench.Weird.We went back over the EAA plans to see if we missed something...but ,no it was all correct.Nowhere in the plans did it say we were building TWO benches but in fact that is what we have now.We think the guy who wrote the plans tricked us into building two knowing that was really what every shop actually needs.LOL.No kidding.So I get to keep one and my partner keeps the other,perfect!.BTW..we sunk a backplate near center on one ,level with the masonite we opted to finish the tops with for more future backriveting.Allso, we added two inches of height to both benches so the backaches might not be so bad...seems to work well.Good luck.

I built one from the plans a few years ago, and I noticed that on the diagram it says, "BILL OF MATERIALS (to build 2 tables)"

That little note certainly doesn't stand out very well, does it? I only noticed it was I was standing in the aisle at the hardware store. :)

I built two Chapter 1000 tables with a little difference. My tables are 36" high, 36" deep, and 72" long. I have 1.5" overhang all around for clamping. I made my own BOM after deciding to make a larger table and ended up having enough wood left over to build a miniature version for my belt sander and bench grinder. It is 36" high, 18" deep and 36" long.

dang, i cut all my plywood today and didnt make an overhang for clamping.. :(